My Best Worst Friend
by Spunky0ne
Summary: Bazz-B rescues a nearly dead Haschwald from the shinigamis in the soul king's palace and flees with him into the living world. Aided by a few surprising allies, he struggles to help his former love regain his mind from the madness Ywach plunged it into. But who's will controls their destiny now? Bazz-B/Haschwald, Ichigo/Tetsuya, Byakuya/Renji...mpreg
1. In the Aftermath

**My Best Worst Friend**

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Bazz-B rescues a nearly dead Haschwald from the shinigamis in the soul king's palace and flees with him into the living world. Aided by a few surprising allies, he struggles to help his former love regain his mind from the madness Ywach plunged it into. But who's will controls their destiny now? Bazz-B/Haschwald, Ichigo/Tetsuya, Byakuya/Renji...mpreg**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: In the Aftermath**

Bazz-B felt the ground underneath him shake and little bits of the broken stone buildings around him rained down, striking his badly abused body and making him groan and shift, trying to force his stinging eyes open. His dry throat ached when he swallowed and he could smell the heavy, coppery scent of his escaped blood that had pooled on the ground beneath him. He tried to lift himself, only to topple awkwardly to one side. In the edges of his bleary mind, he remembered.

_Fuck, that's right. I'm missing an arm._

He tried again to move, but froze suddenly as his king's reiatsu, which had been pulsing and throbbing all around the palace grounds, suddenly roared all around the area, rife with the angry screams of the quincy leader's deadly fury. The reiatsu became almost suffocating, making Bazz-B gasp and writhe on the ground, reeling as his connection with Ywach burned and stung him, then very slowly, began to fade with the decline of his leader's reiatsu.

_I want to feel happy that the bastard who killed my family is gone, but..._

Jugram's face flashed in his clouded mind, shifting eerily between the visage of the youth who had been his friend and the monstrous beauty that had belonged to Ywach.

_...but first of all, I wasn't strong enough to kill him, and second..._

_...I lost you, Jugo..._

_Damn._

The meager light around him faded and Bazz-B wasn't sure how long he drifted in semi-consciousness, feeling like letting go completely, but haunted by a horrible question.

_Are you still alive?_

And a second.

_If you are still alive, do you still look down on me and hate me, Jugo?_

He wasn't sure which question hurt more.

"Over there!" a male voice called out, "It's one of them. See if he's still alive."

Bazz-B couldn't have moved if he had wanted to. He tried to force his eyes open and managed to crack the heavy lids apart just barely, enough to catch a glimpse of a young female shinigami's face.

_I remember her. She was with the bunch that came up with me. She's a healer. I guess she won't finish me off then._

And indeed, he felt the gentle touch of her healing spell wrap around him and send him into a deep, restorative sleep. When he woke again, he laid in a comfortable bed in the quincy palace infirmary, hooked up to monitors and a machine that seemed to be giving him intermittent infusions of more healing reiatsu.

Bazz-B turned his head slightly and looked where his arm had been. He managed a weak smile at seeing it had been healed, but at the same time, suffered haunting memories of how it had flown off when Jugram's sword had sliced through his burner attack as though it hadn't been there.

_He worked real hard to get good with that sword. I didn't know whether to feel happy for him or pissed because he surpassed me. I guess in the end I just respected him for being able to own me like that. He was so different before...so helpless and cute. He couldn't manifest a bow or do anything we quincies are supposed to be able to do. But he was good with a sword, so he trained on that, so that he wouldn't be a burden._

_Turns out I was the one with lesser talent. I was mad about that before, but I couldn't be mad after seeing what Ywach made him into. That cute, good hearted kid cut me down without even a thought, and he walked away and left me, who was his friend, in a puddle of blood, like he didn't give a shit I was probably going to die._

_We'll both probably die now, if he isn't dead already._

_I don't know what to feel about him dying. If he was the kid I remember, I would feel bad for him. I'd think he didn't deserve it. I might want to save him. But with him having changed like he did, being poisoned with Ywach's influence, I don't know. Maybe it would be better if he was dead. He'd probably even be okay with that._

_But I miss the kid that was my friend._

He turned his head back to look up at the white ceiling, his mind replaying the events of the five years they'd spent training together.

_We wanted to kill Ywach...to get close to him and then cut him down. That was always the plan. At least, it was always my plan. I don't know anymore what was really going through Jugo's head then. He always just kind of went along with me. I was the leader and he followed. When he got hurt or was in danger, I took care of him. I felt so close to him, I even fell in love with him. But training together, dreaming of defeating Ywach, even being lovers wasn't enough, you know?_

_Gods, I miss my Jugo!_

He heard the monitor next to him complain, then footsteps marking the return of the lady healer who had helped him before. He looked up at her quietly, his eyes questioning.

"You'll be all right, sir. I'll give you something to help you sleep."

"J-jugo?" he croaked, wincing at how the effort made little pains rocket through his body.

"I don't understand," the healer said, looking sympathetic, "Is that someone you know?"

Bazz-B groaned and closed his eyes, feeling relieved at the cool flow of liquid that entered his vein and sent his mind tumbling away into sleep again.

The next time he woke, it appeared to be nighttime. The room had been darkened and he heard soft voices off in the distance.

"Do you think we should put the rest of them in restraints?" a youthful male voice asked, "They are quincies."

"We haven't been told to do so," the lady healer's voice answered, "Some of them helped us get up here and we have restraints on the blonde man because he could be dangerous." _Blonde man?_

_Jugo?_

Bazz-B turned his head one way and spotted the healers standing at the healer's station outside of the larger treatment room. He turned his head the other way and found several other quincies lying in other beds around the room. One held Liltotto's unconscious body and Giselle looked to be curled up on another. The one farthest back held a young man with long blonde hair, who was hooked up to a sea of monitors, wrapped heavily in bandages and carefully set in restraints.

"It is you," Bazz whispered, "You're alive, Jugo."

_He won't be for long if he stays here,_ Bazz-B reasoned, _He was revealed to the shinigamis to be Ywach's right hand. They'll execute him, if he doesn't die from his wounds._

_I have to..._

He moved experimentally and found that the pain medication had eased his discomfort sufficiently that he could sit up. He carefully detached himself from the monitors, watching the healers carefully, then he slid out of the bed and onto shaky legs. He staggered across the room to his comrade's side and swiftly freed Jugram from the bindings, and then the machines. Almost immediately, he heard sounds of dismay, and the healers called out to him to stop. Knowing better than to obey, Bazz-B wrapped an arm around Jugram and launched the two of them through the nearby window. They crashed down outside, and Bazz-B was on his feet again at once, with his unconscious charge thrown over a shoulder. He ran in the direction of the sun gate, silently praying that it hadn't been sealed off. To his surprise and relief, it didn't appear as though the shinigamis had found it yet. He opened the gate and ran inside, still carrying Jugram over his shoulder and mumbling a few reassuring words as his comrade groaned and shifted uncomfortably.

"Hang in there. I'll get you somewhere safe."

He headed away from the royal realm, avoiding the badly damaged Soul Society and fleeing into the living world. He remembered the location of a watching post that had been used to watch Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryu Ishida, prior to the war, and ran towards it, cautiously looking around to make sure they weren't seen or followed. He reached the outpost and came to a stop in front of it, a seemingly normal looking little house in a quiet neighborhood. Sighing in relief, he carried Jugram inside and deposited him in a comfortable bed. Ignoring his own wounds, Bazz-B first turned his attention to Jugram's injuries, frowning at the heavy damage he had taken and noting sadly that there were some that had clearly been made by Ywach, himself.

_I wonder what happened in the end...whether Jugo turned on Ywach or the bastard betrayed him like he betrayed the rest of us when he decided he didn't need us anymore._

_Bastard!_

"You probably would have been better off if I hadn't stolen you away and dragged you here," he sighed, slipping a warm hand into Jugram's limp, cold one, "but you know that as soon as the shinigamis finished digging themselves out and taking stock, they would have put both of us on trial and at least executed you...if your wounds didn't kill you. I still don't know if they will or not. But...despite everything, I hope you don't die, Jugo. I know you've forgotten all about you and me, the plans we made together and the love we had before Ywach took you away. But even though you forgot me, I remembered you. You were my friend. Yeah, before he ruined everything, we were friends. Maybe, now that he's gone, we can be..."

He looked down at his friend's hauntingly beautiful face and couldn't finish. Instead, he swallowed hard and released Jugram's hand, turning aside to pick up a fresh set of bandages. He carefully removed the ones bound around Jugram, then cleaned his wounds and applied the fresh ones. Finishing that, he studied his friend's resting form for several minutes, then with regretful eyes, he set Jugram in strong restraints before lying down in the bed, at his side. His body aching more and more fiercely as the pain block he had been given wore off, Bazz-B closed his eyes and dropped off into a deep sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jugram remained unconscious, his mind far removed from whatever might be happening around him, whatever the enemy might be doing to his devastated body. And even if they did kill him, the quincy commander wouldn't have blamed them.

_We did try to destroy them._

_We failed._

_Now, they will probably finish what they started a thousand years ago. I wonder if any of us will survive. I'm surprised they're healing me. But...with Ywach gone, they have to hold someone accountable. There needs to be someone for them to focus their revenge on, doesn't there?_

For some reason, the question haunted him. He tried to just let his mind sink into the haze around him, so that he wouldn't think too much about what had happened, and what might still happen.

_With his majesty's death, everything disappeared...everything that mattered. I never entertained for a moment that we would lose...that he would die. What a failure that makes me._

A dark, sick feeling passed through him as he recalled his last time sharing the quincy king's bed.

_"Come here," Ywach invited him, curling an arm around him and drawing him in._

_His heart quickened, and as always happened when the king was with him sexually, Jugram flashed back to the awful memories of the old weathered cabin in the woods, where his lecherous uncle had abused him._

_"Come here," Ywach said again, pulling him close and touching his face with gentle fingers._

_At his touch, Jugram's mind moved forward to the day that fire had swept through the forest, and before his stunned eyes, it had burned the old cabin, and his horrid uncle. He could remember well, standing and watching as his uncle screamed and caught fire, then swiftly died in front of him._

_"That's better, isn't it?" Ywach asked, his lips curling into a wicked smile, "He paid for the hurt he caused you. I did that for you."_

_The words rang false somehow, but he didn't have time to think too deeply about them as Ywach pushed him down and gently spread his thighs, looking down into his widened eyes as he prepared, then quickly claimed him._

_"It's different this time..."_

_Ywach's smile warmed._

_"Yes, it is different. I have seen that there is a threat to me. Since it involves another transcendent, I can't say how it will end. I only know that it is best I take steps to make sure I am protected. And what better protection is there than in you, Jugram?"_

_He looked back at the king wearing a look of confusion._

_"Your majesty?"_

_"This is a trust I will give you," Ywach purred into his ear, lacing their fingers together as he moved his hips at a steady, unrelenting pace, "If things go badly, you will carry this forward and know that I will come back to you."_

_"What are you doing, my lord?" Jugram panted, sweat breaking out on his forehead and his insides roiling as the king's passion grew intense, then almost violent, "Your majesty!"_

_Ywach's mouth clamped down on his forcefully and the king's undulations intensified until the reiatsu in the room they were in shook hard enough to knock the pictures off the shelves and walls. Jugram looked up into the quincy king's dark eyes and felt as though the blackness there had seeped for down inside him and planted itself within him. Ywach made a sound of deep contentment, loosing his release into Jugram's pale body, then lying on top of him and licking lazily at his soft, frowning lips and vulnerable white throat._

_"That's better," the king said, withdrawing slowly from Jugram's body and standing._

_He wrapped a black yukata around himself and turned away, heading towards the throne room._

_"It's almost dark."_

_Jugram sighed and closed his eyes as the last of the light faded and he felt the weight of the king's power settle over him. And as often happened, his transcendent eyes opened and showed him a little piece of the future. He saw himself standing at the top of a long, wide staircase, turning his back on the crumpled body of a familiar red haired man, and walking away, coldly leaving his former friend to die._

_If not for the king's power, tears might have been able to come into his eyes, but as it was, his heart felt cold, as it always did when the king's power rested with him._

Jugram realized very suddenly that the power that had been there before was no longer holding him back, and something was leaking onto his face. He tried to move a hand to brush away the offending moisture, but found he couldn't move.

"Let me," said an achingly familiar voice.

_Bazz..._

He felt the moisture being wiped away and a cool, wet cloth washing his face gently.

"L-let me go," he ordered Bazz-B in an angry voice, "Untie me now!"

"I don't think so," Bazz-B said in a low voice, "You might kill me or you might go out there and someone else could kill you. You're staying here and I'm going to take care of you."

"I d-dont...!" he began, but broke off as swelters of horrid pain tore at his insides.

"Take it easy," Bazz-B said sternly, "You're mostly dead, you know. Something almost tore you in half."

Jugram suffered a hard, terrified jolt of memory that made him gasp and loose a pained sob.

"Whoa, it's okay. I'm going to give you another pain block. You'll sleep for a while."

_He doesn't understand. It wasn't physical hurt that tormented me just now. It was..._

"Hey, Jugo, it's gonna be okay now. He's gone...dead. You don't have to worry about him taking you back and forcing you to stay with him. I'm here now. I'm going to help you get well, and then we'll...I don't know, we'll think of something to do."

Bazz-B froze as Jugram's fingers touched his hand and their eyes locked together.

"You should have let me die."

Bazz-B stared down at him for a breathless moment, sending the two back through the years to the thick, lovely forests that had once been their home.

"You fucking bet I should have let you die," Bazz said haughtily, "Got too big for your britches and got slapped down, didn't you? Maybe next time, you won't run off and just abandon your best friend and lover!"

Jugram blinked dizzily as Bazz-B's face flickered between the younger teen he had known and the man who now rested beside him.

"I thought I killed you," he mumbled dazedly.

"Hell no, you didn't kill me," Bazz assured him, smirking at him, "I helped out some of the shinigamis and they healed me up. I'm good. You're a mess, though...a fucking shame!"

"You are ridiculous."

"Hey, shut up and get some rest, all right? As soon as you can see straight and you agree not to kill me this time, I'll let you up. The king's dead and the war is over. We can just...do what we want now, okay Jugo?"

Jugram sighed and closed his stinging eyes.

_If only it was that simple..._


	2. Secrets

**Chapter 2: Secrets**

Byakuya touched down on the fringes of the Seireitei, followed closely by a heavily bandaged Ichigo and somewhat less damaged looking Rukia and Renji. The group paused, studying in silence, the tumbled and burnt remains of buildings, the upended trees, shredded flowers and scorched earth, all standing as stark reminders of the treachery and violence of the quincy assault forces.

"The place is a mess," Renji sighed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, then grinning as he spotted a blue haired hollow and a familiar shinigami astride a lovely black Arabian stallion.

Ichigo broke into a wide grin and flash stepped to meet them, ignoring completely the instant complaints all over his recovering body. Behind him, Byakuya's eyes narrowed for a moment in annoyance, but he forced them into submission as a swell of gratitude passed through him at seeing his cousin was all right.

"Tetsuya!" Rukia and Renji called out, racing after Ichigo, "Grimmjow!"

Ichigo reached the two first and offered a hand to Tetsuya, who slid down off the horse and was instantly pulled into Ichigo's arms and busied with a knee-weakening kiss.

"What the hell are you doing here already?" Renji chided Grimmjow, "You were supposed to be laid up for a couple more days up there. What? The service wasn't good enough for you? There wasn't enough good food?"

"Shut up," Grimmjow snapped, grinning, "I just didn't particularly like being surrounded on all sides by shinigamis. I figured I'd get back here and cause some trouble."

Tetsuya pulled away from Ichigo slightly and shook his head firmly.

"Actually, Grimmjow reported to me that he uncovered information suggesting that the noble families in hiding had been discovered, and were about to be attacked. He gave us warning just in time so that we were able to fend them off until the quincy king fell and the soldiers attacking us disappeared back into the shadows."

Byakuya turned his eyes to meet Grimmjow's and he nodded briefly in acknowledgement.

"You have our gratitude, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," he said solemnly, "The Kuchiki family is in your debt for carrying the warning to our kin."

"Yeah, and all the damned rest of the high-falutin' clans are too," Grimmjow reasoned, "But whatever. The war's over, and now that Kurosaki's back here, we can..."

"Eh, later," Ichigo said, sinking into Tetsuya's enthusiastic mouth again, "I'm busy kissing my boyfriend."

Rukia swatted Ichigo playfully on the shoulder.

"Ow! What the hell?" Ichigo complained.

"Stop molesting my cousin and let's get back home and settle in, before it gets dark," she snapped.

"I'm afraid the reception will not be very grand," Tetsuya sighed as Grimmjow slid down off the horse and Ichigo and Tetsuya climbed on and turned him in the direction of Kuchiki Manor, "Kuchiki Manor was badly damaged in the attacks. And though we usually are able to accelerate repairs, the widespread devastation is complicating things and resulting in longer turnaround on services and supplies. But we do have the baths repaired, as well as the kitchen. We were able to bring stores from the evacuation site, so there are food, tents for shelter, and hot water for bathing."

"We are grateful to have that, given the state of things," Byakuya said approvingly, falling in alongside the tall stallion, with Rukia, Renji and Grimmjow trailing along.

"So, you raced back here to keep the nobles from getting attacked, huh?" Renji asked the Sexta Espada.

"Yeah, I guess," Grimmjow confirmed grudgingly, "Don't know why I'd bother helping out those stuck up pussies, but if Ichigo's pretty boyfriend had gotten fucked up and he knew I'd known it was coming and didn't do anything...you think he'd carry through and spar with me? I don't think so. I was just protecting my interests."

"Yeah sure," Renji said, not buying the hollow's words for a minute, "You can't fool me. You're going soft."

"Screw you, Red!" Grimmjow snapped, shoving him playfully.

"Knock it off, idiots!" Rukia reprimanded them, "You should still be looking out for enemies. You know, they didn't all just disappear. There were reports of some desperation attacks."

"Let them desper-ate all they want," Grimmjow said dryly, "I'll be glad to show'em how we do it in Hueco Mundo."

"Heh, just not how you did it when you took out after that quincy and got your ass poisoned!" Ichigo teased him.

"Hey, shut up, moron!" Grimmjow huffed.

"Take it easy, okay?" Renji chided him, "You guys can have it out later, after we get home and take stock. There've been a lot of deaths and injuries. You at least want Ichigo in top form when you go to wail on him, right?"

"I heard that," Ichigo said, scowling at Renji.

"Yeah, whatever," Grimmjow sighed, bumping his shoulder into Renji's, "I guess I can wait a little longer. Just don't want him to forget he owes me a good fight."

"Like all the fighting up there wasn't enough," Rukia said disapprovingly, "You fools ought to be more respectful, or at least just grateful to come back alive."

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, more somberly, "Rukia's right. We are lucky to all be here and okay."

"Ichigo," Tetsuya said, tilting his head and looking over his shoulder to meet his boyfriend's eyes, "how is your friend, Uryu? And how are Orihime and Sado?"

Ichigo's expression darkened.

"Orihime and Sado came through okay, but uh...we'll have to talk about Uryu later. He's alive and he's expected to survive, but...I don't know what's going to happen. Like I said, we'll talk about it later."

"Tetsuya, did word reach you of the escape of the two quincy officers?" Byakuya asked his cousin.

Tetsuya nodded.

"We were informed," he assured Byakuya, "and the area around the manor has been heavily fortified and is well guarded. We left most of the family protected at the evacuation site and just came in with the advance group to reconnoiter and repair what we could in advance of the family's return."

"That is best," Byakuya said approvingly, "There are still scattered attacks, and Ywach's most powerful officer is still on the loose, although he was reported to be heavily injured, so we don't know if he will survive. Vice Captain Kotetsu reported that his outlook was not good, and that he was likely made worse by being jostled around during the escape."

"I was kinda surprised that Bazz-B was the one who saved him," Renji mused, "From what we found at the palace, it looked like the blonde guy was the one who took Bazz-B down."

"Well, as much as we cooperated to reach the royal realm, the quincies who assisted us never said that we were allies," Byakuya reminded him, "In fact, they made it clear that they were only cooperating because they needed to so they could reach the palace to seek their own revenge."

He paused as a Gotei messenger flash stepped into view and knelt in front of him.

"Captain Kuchiki!" the man called out, "The captain commander sent me to inform you that it won't be possible for your men to return to the sixth division headquarters, as it has been completely destroyed. We have tents and provisions available, but the captain commander wishes to know if your division can be headquartered temporarily at Kuchiki Manor."

Byakuya exchanged glances with Tetsuya, who nodded in approval.

"Inform the head captain that if he can provide tents, some rations and supplies for the men, we have room to offer them on the estate grounds."

"Yes sir!" the messenger answered, rising and flash stepping away again.

"Looks like it will get pretty lively at home," Rukia chuckled.

"Will you be staying with us, or do you need to assist with your own division while Captain Ukitake is recovering?" Byakuya asked Rukia.

"I think it's best if I go and check in," Rukia surmised, "I think everyone's going to be a little stunned."

"I think you are correct about that," Byakuya agreed, "Go on, then. Just...be cautious, as there are still enemies in the area."

"I will, Brother," Rukia promised.

"Hey, you want an escort?" Grimmjow asked, moving to join her, "I'm going that way."

"I thought you were helping out at Kuchiki Manor," Renji objected.

"Borrrring," Grimmjow complained, "But I'll be back, Kurosaki. You rest up and be ready for a go when I get back."

"Yeah, right," Ichigo sighed, shaking his head as Grimmjow and Rukia disappeared into the distance, "asshole."

"Well, there goes my drinking buddy," Renji said, frowning, "although who knows if there will be anything much to drink, ne?"

Byakuya stole a sidewise glance at the redhead.

"I believe the house wine cellar was not disturbed?" he inquired of Tetsuya.

"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, "The quincies damaged the house and gardens, but did not reach the wine cellar."

"Then, I am sure we can find something for you to drink and sufficient company for you to share while drinking it."

"If you mean _you_, then I've got no complaints, Captain," Renji chuckled, moving closer to Byakuya and smiling as his captain's hand slid into his.

The four continued down the road to Kuchiki Manor as the sun set and night approached.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey," Bazz-B said, slipping into the bedroom of the hideout and sitting down at Jugram's bedside, "you're really not looking good at all."

The blonde quincy's eyes opened and tried to focus on him, but even though his lips moved, he couldn't seem to speak properly.

"We're going to need some help."

Bazz-B frowned and shut his eyes, considering for several minutes, before his eyes opened again and fixed on Jugram's sweating face.

"Look, I know we have a lot of shit to deal with, but I'm going to make a deal with you. And the deal is, we aren't going to even start working our way through things until you're healed enough not to die on me. I hope it's okay with you, but even if it's not, it doesn't matter. I'm not letting you die. I'm gonna have to leave you to get help, but I'll bring back someone I know can help you. Just...don't try to get away, because if you start struggling, you're gonna die. You hear me, Jugo?"

Jugram's pained eyes looked back at him for a moment, then fluttered and closed.

"Jugo!" Bazz-B exclaimed, clenching at his yukata, "Jugo, c'mon!"

He took a stinging breath and slammed a hand on the nightstand, then stood and lifted his unconscious comrade into his arms. He carried Jugram through the small house and out the kitchen door, into the garage. He let out a relieved breath as he spotted a car the ones who had stayed in the outpost had used on occasion. He slid Jugram into the back seat, then slid into the driver's seat and pushed a button near the sun visor to raise the garage door. He glanced over at Jugram and swallowed hard at the unhealthy greyness of his skin and the rasping sound he made when he breathed.

"Hang in there, okay?" he said, backing out of the garage and swinging onto the street, "You're lucky I spent a little time here. I know how to drive."

He grimaced as he barely missed the neighbor's mailbox and ran up on the sidewalk.

"Sorry. I guess I need a refresher, huh?"

He steered the car back onto the street and headed towards the river.

"I probably coulda carried you, but it would've taken longer. You've gotten bigger...taller since we were kids," he said anxiously, "You've really changed, Jugo."

He pushed away the dark feeling that invaded when he started thinking about their childhood and focused his eyes on the road ahead of them.

"Now, I usually would turn to one of our own, but I'm probably on their bad side since I helped the shinigamis who invaded the palace. And the shinigamis don't like me either, since I grabbed you, and without that bastard, Ywach, around, you're public enemy number one. But there is a guy, he's a shinigami, but he's usually in trouble with Central 46 for something or other. He might be willing to help us. You probably know him from the data files, Kisuke Urahara. He was hanging out with some hollows, had'em working with the shinigamis, so I guess he doesn't assume 'once an enemy, always an enemy, right?"

The tires on the car screeched as he rounded a sharp curve.

"You still alive, Jugo?" he asked, glancing into the back seat and sighing in relief at seeing his comrade's chest move fitfully, "Almost there, okay. I just hope this bastard is around and those Gotei guys aren't, or we're in trouble. I mean, worse trouble."

He pulled up to the curb and stopped the car, exiting hastily and lifting Jugram into his arm. He smiled as Jugram groaned and his eyelids fluttered.

"Still with me, huh? Feisty little bastard, aren't you, Jugo?" he chuckled nervously.

He looked around and sensed the reiatsu in the area, then crept to the door of Urahara's shop. He knocked tentatively and felt a shiver of worry as he waited for an answer. A moment later, footsteps approached inside. The door opened and a tall man with glasses looked out at them and caught his breath at the sight of the bloodied quincies.

"Hey, don't freak out," Bazz-B said quickly, "We're not here to cause trouble. We're just looking for Urahara. We need his help. Is he here?"

"I am sorry," the man said, looking at Jugram worriedly, "he is not back from Soul Society yet. But I can help you. Orihime Inoue is resting here tonight. We have another guest wishing to avoid attention. Come with me."

Breathing another sigh of relief, Bazz-B worked to slow his breathing as he followed Tessai through the house and down into the underground training area. Bazz-B gave him a surprised look as he opened a senkaimon.

"This is a noble senkaimon, so not under the control of Central 46, although the precipice world is monitored by the twelfth division. Come with me. I will provide interference so that we will not be seen."

"Okay, I guess you know what you're doing. Just...no games. I just want my friend healed. I don't want trouble."

"I agree there has been enough of that," Tessai said solemnly, "Come."

Bazz-B carried Jugram into the precipice world, watching cautiously as they traversed the dark corridors and entered through a darkened gate.

"We are in a hidden pocket dimension within the precipice world," Tessai explained, "It is the only place where you will find any safety. Central 46 has a price on the heads of all quincy officers. Ones who assisted the shinigamis will get some lenience, but..." he said, glancing at Jugram, "those deemed hostile will undoubtedly face execution."

"Yeah, I know," Bazz-B said in a low voice, "That's why I came to you. I thought you'd at least give me a chance to tell our story."

"You can do that, but first we will see to your friend's injuries."

He led Bazz-B into the pocket dimension, where they passed through a forested area until they reached a small cabin. Tessai knocked on the door, then entered, pausing as he spotted Orihime leaned over an unconscious Uryu. She looked up at Tessai and started to smile, then shivered as she spotted Bazz-B and Jugram.

"Hey, we're not going to hurt anyone," Bazz-B said quickly, "I just need help for my friend. I need you to keep him from dying...and...I need you to help me get through to him."

"Wh-what do you mean?" the human girl asked, "Did someone use some kind of mind control ability on him?"

"No," Bazz-B said, swallowing hard, "It wasn't any ability, any kind of power exactly. It's just that...Ywach knew all of us. And he knew how fuck with our minds and manipulate us without using any powers at all. I don't know how he twisted Jugo's mind, but he took him away a long time ago. We were friends before, but after he went with Ywach, he was different. Jugo and I trained for five years so we could get close to Ywach."

Bazz-B took a shaky breath.

"We were going to get close to him and we were going to kill him."

Orihime's eyes widened and Tessai frowned and tilted his head curiously.

"Sounds weird, huh?" Bazz-B went on, "But the truth is, not all of us Sternritters were as devoted to Ywach as we pretended to be. I sure as hell wasn't. I thought Jugo wasn't either. But Ywach somehow got into Jugo's head and convinced him that Ywach was the rightful king and leader of our worlds. Jugo became like his closest follower. I thought he was acting, but...when push came to shove, the person Jugo tried to kill wasn't Ywach. It was me. He tried to kill me. I don't know what Ywach said or did that made Jugo follow him. I just know that I have to get him back. I just want my friend back. Can you help me?"

Tessai and Orihime exchanged concerned looks. then Orihime smiled at Bazz-B.

"As long as you give us your word you won't attack any of us here, we'll be glad to help you..."

"Bazz-B," the quincy supplied, "The name's Bazz-B and this is...Jugram."

"Bring your friend over here," the human girl directed him, "I'll get started healing him right away."

"Thanks," Bazz-B said, laying Jugram down in the indicated bed, "Thanks for helping us."

He glanced over at the young man in the other bed and shook his head grimly.

"You brought Ishida here, huh?" he mused, "That was probably smart. Next to Jugo, he may be the most wanted quincy on the Central 46 hit list."

Orihime sighed and looked at Uryu worriedly.

"Don't worry," she said bracingly, "we don't plan on letting them find Uryu until we have a chance to clear his name."

"At least he has some hope of that," Bazz-B said sadly, "I don't think Central 46 will ever let Jugo clear his name."

"Let's take one thing at a time," Tessai said calmly, "First, let's heal your friend, and then we will see if we can help to clear his mind and his name."


	3. The Truth Inside

**Chapter 3: The Truth Inside**

Jugram rested, just beneath consciousness, his hazy mind meandering through a mosaic of entangled memories. He flinched as Bazz-B's child voice echoed strangely around him.

_"Come on! Get out of bed, Jugo. You think we're ever going to be strong enough to kill Ywach if we laze around all day? I don't think so. Move it!"_

A shiver went through him as he Ywach's deeper, more compelling voice drowned out Bazz-B's.

_"You are my other half..."_

"Y-your majesty..." he moaned in his sleep.

Next to him, Bazz-B stirred and opened an eye. He studied Jugram's discomfited expression and shook his head, scowling.

"You need to forget him," Bazz-B chided his former friend, "He was bullshitting you. And anyway, he's dead, Jugo. He's gone."

Jugram's eyes slowly opened and struggled to focus. Bazz-B sat up beside him, leaning over him and checking his bandages.

"You hurting?" Bazz-B asked, "I can have Urahara come in and give you a pain block."

"B-bazz..." Jugram managed brokenly, "Why are you...here?"

He broke off, groaning as his head spun dizzily. Bazz-B gazed at him silently for a moment, then let out a huff of breath.

"Why am I here?" Bazz-B repeated, frowning, "I told you. I'm going to help you get well."

"But...I tried to kill you. Have you forgotten?" Jugram whispered hoarsely.

"Hell no, I haven't forgotten!" Bazz-B snapped, "Like I could forget you taking off my arm and almost cutting me in half. You owe me for that, by the way, and also for me losing sleep and having to drag your sorry ass all of the way here."

"Idiot!" Jugram panted, breaking out in a sweat from the effort of speaking.

"Take it easy," Bazz-B chided him, "You're going to make yourself pass out from straining to talk. Just sleep some more. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to let you get away again. Look at the trouble you got yourself into by leaving me before."

Jugram fastened weary eyes on his for several painful moments, then closed them again. Bazz-B gave an approving sigh and laid down beside him, spread out on his back with his hands behind his head.

"When you feel better, we can go outside. It's kinda pretty here. We're in a pocket dimension and Urahara is the only way in or out, so don't get ideas about leaving. Don't think you can attack me again either. Your powers are under a seal, not just because the shinigamis don't trust you. You also got banged up really bad, so you can't be drawing in reiatsu until your body's in better shape. Just relax and focus on healing. We can deal with the rest later."

"Wh-what makes you so sure I want to resolve things with you?" Jugram whispered weakly.

"Huh," Bazz-B huffed, "Well, maybe it's the fact that the bastard king Ywach is dead. He's gone and you're alone. Really alone this time, Jugo. The shinigamis want your head and our guys will want answers. You probably can't count on either side to cut you a lot of slack. You need someone to stand beside you. And wasn't I there for you before?"

"You c-came to Wahrwelt to kill me!" Jugram accused him.

Bazz-B frowned and shook his head.

"I didn't come to kill you. I just recognized that by killing you I could kill Ywach's power. You cut me down and I admitted you were stronger than me. I lost because I underestimated you."

Jugram's eyes opened and fixed on Bazz-B's, evincing dark curiosity.

"And if I held the king's power now, would you kill me, Bazz?"

"Hey," Bazz-B snapped irritably, "the bastard's dead. Let's stop talking about him."

"But Bazz-B..."

"Shh," Bazz-B said, turning in the bed and placing his fingertips on the blonde quincy's lips, "Not another word. We didn't need to talk so much when we were kids, did we, Jugo?"

Jugram made a sound of surprise, but remained still as Bazz-B moved closer to him and curled up at his side.

"I know there's a lot of shit to go through," he yawned, "but you and I are both too beat up right now to get into it. Let's just forget about it for a while. The war is over. We're safe for the moment. All we need to do is get well. Let's concentrate on that, okay Jugo?"

Jugram gazed at him contemplatively for several long moments, then sighed in resignation and let the side of his face rest against Bazz-B's.

"That's better," Bazz-B said approvingly, "Get some sleep now."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Oh my kami, it's so good to be back here with you!" Ichigo groaned, collapsing onto Tetsuya's bare back and brushing his hair aside to get at the soft, pale skin along the side of his slender neck, "I missed you like crazy, Tetsuya. I was worried..."

"_You_ were worried," Tetsuya mused, turning his head and frowning over a naked shoulder, "I was safe within the evacuation barrier most of the time, while you were up there somewhere above us, fighting the quincy king, himself. I was terrified, Ichigo."

Tetsuya rolled over and crawled into Ichigo's strong arms, seeking his lips for a bout of hot, wet kisses.

"I wasn't going to let that bastard win," Ichigo said solemnly, "I have a lot to protect."

Tetsuya blushed and caught his breath slightly at the words. He paused and looked down at the arm Ichigo had curled around his waist, considering his words carefully.

"We both do," Tetsuya said finally, "even more than you know."

Ichigo gave him a curious smile.

"What does that mean?" he asked, an idea beginning to dawn on him, "Tetsuya, are you trying to tell me something?"

Tetsuya blushed more fiercely and swallowed hard.

"Ichigo, you know that when I was a prisoner in Itamigiri, the ones who ran the prison also used us for illegal experiments."

"Yeah...?" Ichigo agreed, his smile fading, "And?"

"And...one of the experiments that they conducted was to see if some males could be used as breeders, in case there should ever be a shortage of noble females, as there was after the first quincy war."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he found himself lost for words.

"Tetsuya..."

"The experiment involved creating a space within a male soul's body, that could be filled with another male's reiatsu. The reiatsu was matured over time through small infusions from the father. When fully matured, the offspring's reiatsu would emerge and solidify into a shinigami child."

"Tetsuya, are you saying what I think you're saying?" Ichigo asked, excitement building in his golden brown eyes.

Tetsuya's blush deepened.

"I didn't tell you about the spirit chamber before, because it was supposed to be non-functional. But I think that when we were first together, just before the war began, the resonance between us was so strong that it caused our reiatsu to mingle and enter the chamber. And now...we are going to have a baby!"

"Holy crap!" Ichigo gasped, grabbing Tetsuya and pulling him close, "A baby, really?"

He paused and a worried look overtook his face.

"B-but what about Byakuya? I mean, he didn't get mad that we were dating, even when he found out I went to bed with you. But this..."

Tetsuya went quiet for a moment, looking up at the dark tan ceiling of the tent they laid in.

"I think he'll be concerned because the chamber is somewhat of an unknown. Add to that, we are unmarried, so the elders of our clans will probably be displeased."

Ichigo grinned.

"Then I'll just have to marry you before we let anyone know, ne?" he chuckled, nipping at Tetsuya's flushed lips, then kissing him more deeply, "I'll have Kisuke do it. He won't be worried Byakuya will kill him."

"M-maybe you should let me talk to at least Byakuya before we do anything drastic," Tetsuya suggested, "He will listen to me without getting angry."

"I don't know," Ichigo laughed, "He might get mad anyway when you tell him about _this_."

"Well, we didn't know that it was going to happen," Tetsuya reasoned, "The chamber was supposed to be broken. The healers just didn't remove it because they thought it would be too dangerous."

"Hey, you don't think it'll be dangerous for you to have this kid, do you?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Tetsuya answered, sitting up and looking down at his flat stomach as Ichigo sat up beside him, "The idea wasn't for the chamber to kill me. It was supposed to safeguard the ability to ensure offspring, even in case of the loss of our population of noble females."

"Oh, I guess. But we should get you to a healer anyway and have you checked out, just to be sure," Ichigo insisted.

"I agree. It's important for us to make sure everything is as it should be."

Tetsuya made a sound of dismay as Ichigo tackled him playfully and brought him down on his back again.

"Now, where were we?"

"I think we were right here," Tetsuya whispered, spreading his thighs invitingly.

Ichigo's fingers prepared him slowly, and he joined their bodies with equal care, looking down into Tetsuya's affectionate blue eyes.

"I'm really glad you're okay," Ichigo whispered gratefully, holding himself still and kissing Tetsuya gently, "I can't wait to see what our kid looks like."

"I feel the same," Tetsuya said breathlessly, surrendering easily as his handsome lover began to move.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, thanks for the sake and warm place to sleep, Captain," Renji said, looking around the bedroom the two laid in, "I don't mind tents too much, but this bed is way more comfortable."

"We're lucky that this one escaped destruction," Byakuya said, studying the fine, dark wood furnishings and looking out into the gardens as he sipped at his drink, "It will be some time before all of the materials and crew are available to rebuild the rest of Kuchiki Manor."

"Yeah, those quincies made a real big mess," Renji huffed, swallowing a goodly amount of his serving of sake, "Too bad they escaped back into the shadows before we could make'em clean it up."

"We don't require anything from them," Byakuya said sleepily, "I am just as happy they are gone."

"Hmm, you don't worry about them coming back some years down the road and trying this again?" Renji asked, taking another swig of sake, then smiling as Byakuya poured him another measure.

"Of course they will," Byakuya reasoned, "They may be weak at the moment, but they have proven once that, not only are they resilient and resourceful, so they can survive and regrow their strength, they are also determined enemies who will continue to challenge us repeatedly. They will face much more resistance when they do return, as we learned much from our interactions with them this time."

"Yeah, a lot of that pretty painfully," Renji complained.

"That is why the sake is flowing freely tonight," Byakuya said, smirking.

"Is that so?" Renji asked, grinning, "I thought you were just using it to get me in bed with you tonight."

"It doesn't appear I would have needed sake to lure you," Byakuya observed, giving him an amused look, "It is the soft bed."

He caught his breath softly as Renji abandoned his drink and brought the surprised noble down onto his back on the pile of pillows.

"The bed is really soft," he agreed, "but that's not why I'm here."

He leaned down and captured Byakuya's lips in a slow, lingering kiss. Byakuya's dark grey eyes fastened on his and the fingers of one graceful hand rose to remove the hair tie from Renji's hair. The long strands tumbled down over his shoulders and tickled Byakuya's lovely face and throat teasingly.

"Hey, I heard there was a private party in here," Grimmjow growled softly from the doorway.

Torio hurried into the room from behind him and skidded to an awkward stop, panting softly.

"I'm s-sorry Lord Byakuya!" he apologized, "He just appeared out of nowhere and..."

"It is fine, Torio," Byakuya sighed, extracting himself from Renji's arms and sitting up, "Pour Grimmjow a drink, please."

"Sheesh," Renji complained, "That's a pretty sweet reception from a guy who just interrupted us while we were having some fun!"

"How could you be having fun?" Grimmjow asked, smirking and glancing at Byakuya, "I wasn't here yet."

He sat down on the end of the bed and took a swallow of sake.

"So, what's the nice treatment for, Captain Kuchiki?" he asked.

"You came back upon hearing of the danger to my kin, and you fought to defend them, even though you were not fully recovered," Byakuya reminded him, "I don't know what made you, a former enemy, react so strongly to danger to the noble clans."

"Yeah, well, there were women and cubs...erm..._kids_ who the damned quincies were going to kill."

He swallowed the rest of his sake and held his cup out for Torio to refill.

"I don't know if Urahara filled you in on all of what happened in Hueco Mundo, but the killing didn't stop with just powerful hollows that they didn't want to draft into their army. They slaughtered the weaker ones and didn't even flinch at disposing of a lot of kid hollows. Now, even though it is our way for the more powerful to eat the weaker, there are rules and codes about not messing with little ones. We protect them and let them gain their powers, then they work their way up. We don't kill indiscriminately...not the ones of us with any sense of honor."

Grimmjow scowled as Renji gave a little snicker.

"What the hell?" he demanded.

"You've got a soft spot for kids!" the redhead accused him, "Big, tough Grimmjow is a real superhero!"

"Shut up, Red!" Grimmjow snapped, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at him.

Renji caught the pillow in mid-air and started to throw it, then noticed Byakuya's look of disapproval and dropped the pillow back onto the bed.

"I find it encouraging that you have in common with us a desire to protect the young," Byakuya said quietly, "You are welcome in my home, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques."

"Great home you've got here," Grimmjow laughed, "One room and a pretty destroyed kitchen. A garden with mucked up flowerbeds and a shit-pile of tents."

"That may be," Byakuya agreed, surprising the Sexta Espada, "but given that we have just returned from a difficult conflict, even this small room, a few bites of food prepared in my own damaged kitchen and a bit of sake that was hidden in my wine cellar is enough to bring me contentment. I am sure that it will bring you some comfort to return to your own home in Hueco Mundo, ne? Renji said that you had a warmly decorated cave and a few friends there."

"Oh, you mean the little ankle biter form of Nel and her two blundering buddies? A little hole in the wall..."

"I understand you have the only water, and the only _heated_ running water in Hueco Mundo," Byakuya went on.

"You've studied my life in some pretty good detail," Grimmjow observed, eyeing Byakuya curiously.

"You were an enemy," Byakuya reasoned, "And even as we came to work together in the war, there is no official treaty between our forces."

"No, not really," Grimmjow agreed, "But then, you did help free our governor personally, so we have reason not to quarrel."

"Agreed," Byakuya said, nodding and finishing his drink.

"So, do you have a tent to sleep in?" Renji asked.

"Naw, they were all taken," Grimmjow sighed, "I thought I'd just curl up here at the end of the real bed."

His jaw dropped onto the floor as Byakuya and Renji exchanged glances, the moved over and made room for him.

"Just keep your mitts off my captain," Renji warned the hollow teasingly, "No trying to eat him in the middle of the night."

"I think he's more likely to eat me," Grimmjow said, smirking, "Thanks, Captain Kuchiki."

"It is for tonight only, as it is late and it would be a bother to my staff to have to wake up and search for an open place in one of the tents," Byakuya said sedately.

"Whatever you say..."

Grimmjow started to lie down, then paused, staring, as a hell butterfly flitted into the room and the head captain's voice emerged from the little insect.

"Sorry to bother you so late, but Central 46 is pretty uptight about that blonde quincy getting away. He was the king's right hand, and they really want his head on a platter or maybe they'll just take mine. Anyway, I need you and Renji to go to the living world. The stealth force thinks the escaped quincies ran that way. Maybe Kisuke Urahara can give us a hand looking. Let me know if you find anything...anything at all."

Byakuya gave Renji a regretful look and the two climbed out of the bed, leaving Grimmjow behind.

"I'll just make myself at home," the Sexta Espada joked, curling up under the blankets, "and dream of snuggling you two until you come back."

"You going to just let him do that?" Renji mused as the two hurriedly dressed, then flash stepped into the courtyard.

Byakuya glanced back in the direction of the bedroom and shrugged.

"At least someone will get to sleep tonight," he sighed.

"Just not you and me," Renji mused, "although if it weren't for Grimmjow showing up, we wouldn't have been sleeping either."

"Come Renji," Byakuya said shortly, "We have a mission to see to."


End file.
